Derbyshire 130 - Chesterfield /76 Trombones - Dear Globecar

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Day 76 - Dear Globecar , I hope you dont mind me writing to you . I read last night that a couple wrote to Laika and they gave them a free Laika motorhome to use for a year . Well Covid 19 is wearing us down and we need something to cheer us up. We have Gabby already. We are seasoned motorhomers . That is if you call 8 years of travelling in our old van and now your wonderful Globecar then we are seasoned and experienced. We know how to drive the van. We now all about Europe and we love our Gabby but a few weeks ago before lockdown we saw your new models and fell in love with the new one. It is a tad longer than Gabby but that is not a problem . We have driven longer vans . We stood inside and the fridge won me over . We are both not young and kneeling down to the fridge in Gabby is giving me dodgy knees and a bad back . You don't want to be responsible for my bad back do you ? We would love to have the new model for a year from you so that we can run around Europe and beyond once this pandemic is over. We could wax lyrical about the new ven and write all about our experiences. . We want to enthuse about the over cab window . We dont even mind giving up the storage space above it . Do you realise Globecar that we can compare our Gabby with a new one? . We will write objectively about our experiences so please Globecar can we borrow a van from you for a whole year and go touring ? We will always be in your debt . We await your positive response and can assure you we will look after your van. Regards and best wishes from two intrepid travellers.

As I waited for a window of opportunity when the rain stopped I could not help thinking how some folks have all the luck. They seem to fall out of work and into wonderful situations where someone pays them to do something . That was why my mind was writing my letter to Globecar requesting them to consider letting us have one of their new models to try out and test . We are never that lucky though and it was never going to happen .

. What had triggered off my thoughts was the reading of a blog. A blog from a couple who had given up work and somehow managed to persuade the company to hand over a very expensive motorhome. It had been kitted out with everything they needed and they had the use of it for a year to travel where they wanted . I felt very envious of them and wondered how they did it . I guess I will never know the answer. They had travelled through France, Italy, Spain and Portugal . I wanted to offer Globecar our experiences by going to Croatia, Romania , Albania , Montenegro and Greece and reporting back on each of the wonderful features in the van.

All I knew as I waited for the rain to abate was that it was never going to happen to us . My imaginary letter to Globecar was as far as it was going to go.

I had intended to walk across the fields today but the overnight rain had left the grass soggy and the river banks muddy . It looked as if once I got that dry window then it would be pounding the pavements in search of house number 76 and anything else of interest along the way . 76 Trombones - memories of the song and the bingo calling . The older couple with the dog had already done their walk by the time I left the house . They were kitted out in jackets and hats. Their walk almost completed .

Day 76 and the end of week 11 of lockdown . My walk took me down towards Swarthwick Lane . I had a mind to have another go at finding the milestone that supposedly was somewhere hidden in the grass between Swarthwick Farm and Ivy House Farm . Looking at my watch I realised that I was never going to get that far today . Instead I headed into the estate . I found house number 76 but the owner had no number on his door . Nothing to photograph . I walked slowly back . My jumper had come off as the morning warmed up. It went back on as the dark clouds started to cover the sun. It looked like rain again . I headed home ready for my cuppa and to try to find things to do. Another week has passed by and I wondered what next week would bring .

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Comments

[Jackie Harrison]

Globecar
Good luck if you get a new van to trial for a year!! Can we borrow your old one!! lol, We have been looking for a cheap van for when lockdown ends but they seem to have all gone up in price! I am bereft without a Campervan!!! I think its definitely going to be the safest way to go travelling!! Im just so glad that we have all been to so many places before this virus appeared - we were also so lucky to get our cruise around South America in February as well!!

[JenGog]

My imaginary letter
Hi Jackie - my imagination went wild reading a blog called The Office is closed . I dont know how they managed it but they have been travelling for nearly two years in that borrowed Laika . All I kept thinking was how do they do it . My letter if I ever sent it would end up in Room 101 . I think a lot of the older ones have spiked in price due to the new tax on the new ones . I know that was changed in the budget eventually but it still has sent old vans through the roof . We fell in love with a new one when we went to take something back to SMC in Newark but to be honest the cost was well over 50K just to start and then we said to each other - add on the solar panels, the lithium battery , the MIFI , the two gas cylinders plus the TV dome and we would be somewhere well over 60K . We loved the overhead cab huge window but then wondered just how much it would cost to replace if it ever broke and couldnt be done under warranty . Thousands . In the end we loved it and left it and said we just would not justify spending any more money buying a new one . Gabby is fine . I dont think if I sent any letter I would be lucky enough to get a freebie . When luck was dished out we got all the bad luck . I think that there will be a mad travel exodus when we are finally released . I dont know where we all will go. Everyone judging by what I read on FB are buying motorhomes without really having any idea about what they cost to upkeep and what to do with them . We are counting down September but dont know if we will get away . We are beginning to feel very frustrated . Working from home and hate it . I miss the company . I dont know about you but this has really changed my thinking . Have you got any travel plans ? How is the veg coming on in the allotment . Had our first strawberry (yes just one ) yesterday and two more ripening today. Peas are flowering and the beans that the frost caught are regrowing . Hope you are still keeping safe. xx

[Home and Away]

I just Googled Globecar...
I think I would be satisfied with the Globescout. Good luck getting the free use of your favorite model for one year!

[JenGog]

My imaginary letter
I only sent it in my mind Bob we are never that lucky . We have a 600 L - I cant remember the new one we saw but we did fall in love with it . Still we wont be swapping Gabby . Hope you are still keeping well . Sounds like you have Covid 19 and recent issues with the death and protests all around the states to cope with now. The world is a sad place with events like these . We have protests too all round the country .